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Troy History Tour:Footsy Magoos and the Knox-Mead Building

The Rensselaer County Historical Society (RCHS) is presenting a Hidden History tour on Tuesday, April 29th at 4:30 pm of Footsy Magoos and the Knox-Mead Building located at 13 and 17 First Street in Troy.

RCHS staff will offer a public tour of the buildings, located along a stretch of First Street known historically as Troy’s Banker’s Row because of the proliferation of banks that were once in residence on the street.

Footsy Magoos, a bar that is one of Troy’s best kept secrets, is located at 17 First Street in Troy. Built c.1811, 17 First Street housed the Bank of Troy and later, the United National Bank of Troy, throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Various law, real estate, investment and insurance firms were occupants of this Federal era building throughout its lifetime, including the Commissioner of the Draft and the Provost Marshall during the Civil War.

The Knox and Mead building, located at 13 First Street in Troy, was constructed in the summer of 1852 and occupied by Manufacturer’s Bank of Troy in the same year. The Central Bank of Troy and Central National Bank of Troy were later occupants of the building. In 1906, the insurance firm – Knox and Mead – moved into the building. The firm, later to be known as the insurance firm of Love, Knox and Mead, maintained residence until the late 1980s.

The tour will begin at 4:30pm at the corner of First and State Street. Admission for the tour is $15 per person, $12 for RCHS members.

The Rensselaer County Historical Society and Museum is a not-for-profit educational organization established in 1927 to connect local history and heritage with contemporary life. For more information call 518-272-7232 or visit www.rchsonline.org.